Post by Tealya on Jan 19, 2012 14:09:26 GMT -5

Ok, I'm finally getting around to commenting on Tainted. So, for the first few pages, we have been in one of Allura's dreamscapes. This particular one is borrowed from Jessica's mind with some of Allura's little touches added to it. We will eventually get into Jessica's mind, but not in this chapter.

Now, floating islands aside, Allura is trying to get more into Gen's past, but someone seems to be trying to redirect the conversation. You may remember him from way back here, but he's become a wee bit more active since then. Allura can't see or hear him, so she is not aware that he is feeding Gen info. Gen isn't upset by it, of course. This is not the first time he's whispered in her ear and won't be the last. For now, she's using his words to pick a fight with Allura.

Well, that's all for now. I'll add more on Saturday with this week's update.

Post by Tealya on Jan 21, 2012 12:23:59 GMT -5

So, for today's comic, all I have to say is: good idea Gen. Listen to the big creepy creature whispering in your ear and telling you you're stupid.

Actually, I'm sure I can say more, particularly about the trees. I'm so glad there's only one more page of them. They are such a pain to color around. If you haven't noticed, the bottoms of them are not closed so if I try to just fill and area in, the trees end up filled in too. This means I have to carefully go around the bottoms and create a line with the tone and that takes way too long. The next page will be the last time I do them, though. I don't like them and I don't plan on doing them again. Those, and the bars in the basement prison of theirs. The bars are easier to do, but just a pain to fill in. Two pages from now will be the last we see of those for a while.

Post by Tealya on Jan 29, 2012 2:03:39 GMT -5

All I have to say about today's comic is: yes! No more open trees! Those trees will not be back any time soon.

Ok, I suppose I should say some more. Gen has once again awoken from a dream walk with Allura and that tends to leave one very tired and irritated. Waking up in a cell on a cold stone floor probably doesn't help either. Drawing this and the next page, it has occurred to me, there are no beds in those cells. At first, I thought that seemed rather odd. Then I thought about from Allura's perspective and realized beds could be broken and used as weapons so it's better not to have them. Poor Shiro, Gen, and Ann, though. They've had to spend a week sleeping on the floor and that can't be comfortable.

Post by Tealya on Mar 3, 2012 23:00:30 GMT -5

Someone else commented!

Thanks. Yeah, it's been a while since we really had any Maddie interaction so she needed a few cute shots. It's hard to work her in sometimes because she is so little and Gen doesn't usually cart her into danger (though she has more than once in her paladin days).

So, on to my commentary for all of February's updates. I've been bad and putting these off. Time to get caught up.

One of the tings I like about these pages, particularly the last three, is that we get to see Gen's relation to the other people in the house. Though she is certain that all daemons are evil and doesn't even want to associate with them, she does not treat daemon children poorly. She has a soft spot for children, even the supposedly evil ones.

In terms of art, there are places I really like, and places I just couldn't get to work at all. I really liked doing the kitchen. I actually have a few sketches sitting around of the kitchen, dining hall, and library. It's nice to be able to use them in the comic. There are two cooking fire places (though we only get to see one in these pages) and so much random large bags, jars, and string of food all over. These little things are fun. Being summer, the kitchen is actually pretty bare since most food comes in fresh from the garden. It will fill up even more as winter sets in. I also really like Maddie in today's page. She is too cute and a bit of a challenge to draw. With so few lines, I have to pack a lot of personality into her movements. That means I have to think more about her expressions and gestures.

One of the places I really didn't like was the side views in the last panel on the Feb 11th update. Cat and Gen looked good in the sketch, but when I inked it, I just couldn't get it to look right. They're both too flat and Gen's face just doesn't look right at all. I also don't like the 4th panel on Feb 25th's update. Jessica is too small. I should have fixed that but I was pressed for time that week and just didn't feel like it. If I ever decide to offer a print version of Tainted, I will fix those (and others) as well as redo the first couple of chapters.

That's all for now. Hopefully I'll dig out time next week to comment so I don't have to do a whole bunch at once.